Decision-making in economics involves several key theories that help explain how individuals and organizations make choices.
Utility theory forms a cornerstone of economic decision-making, providing a framework for understanding how people evaluate options and make choices to maximize their satisfaction. Under Expected utility theory, individuals assess the probability of different outcomes and choose actions that offer the highest expected benefit. This theory assumes people are rational actors who can effectively weigh risks and rewards. For example, when deciding between investment options, an investor would calculate the potential returns and risks of each choice to determine which provides the greatest expected utility.
Bounded rationality, a concept developed by Herbert Simon, recognizes that human decision-making is limited by cognitive constraints, available information, and time pressures. Unlike traditional utility maximization models that assume perfect rationality, bounded rationality acknowledges that people often make "satisficing" decisions - choosing options that are good enough rather than optimal. This theory is particularly relevant in Management and organizational behavior, where complex decisions must be made with incomplete information and under time constraints. Asymmetric information further complicates decision-making processes, occurring when one party has more or better information than another. This information imbalance can lead to market failure and inefficient outcomes, as seen in various financial markets where buyers and sellers have different levels of knowledge about assets or transactions. Common examples include used car markets, insurance contracts, and employment relationships, where one party typically has more detailed information about quality, risk, or capabilities than the other.
These theories collectively provide a more nuanced understanding of economic decision-making than traditional rational choice models alone. While utility theory offers a theoretical ideal of rational decision-making, bounded rationality and asymmetric information help explain why actual decisions often deviate from these optimal choices. In practice, decision-makers must navigate these limitations while striving to make the best possible choices given their constraints and available information.